Moderna has launched the clinical trials of its new vaccine that combines a booster shot of COVID-19 with its experimental flu jab to protect against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).
The US-based pharmaceutical company is hopeful that it will soon roll out the vaccine it is developing as an annual shot against RSV that causes a number of respiratory illnesses.
Updating the investors during a recent presentation, CEO Moderna, Stephane Bancel, said that “we believe this is a very large opportunity that is ahead of us, if we could bring a highly effective pan-respiratory annual shot.”
He added, “We believe Moderna could be first to market in this important new opportunity.”
RSV is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most people recover from RSV in a week or two, but it can be serious, especially in infants and older adults.
It is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lung) and pneumonia (infection of the lungs) in children younger than 1 year of age all over the world.
